By Daniel Buckwalter
From jazz to show tunes — with a sprinkling of tender melodies thrown in for good measure — the 2024 Oregon Festival of American Music, familiarly known as OFAM, got off to a lovely matinee start on Aug. 1 at The Shedd Institute.
Heart and Soul, a program that is a tribute to lyricists Frank Loesser and Sammy Cahn, combines music with lyrics that have stood the test of time, be it from the stage, film or as standalone compositions. It is music with lyrics that have been made even more famous over the years by the likes of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Bing Crosby, among many others.
The 90-minute concert is led by Chuck Redd, and it will be repeated in an evening show on Aug. 7 in the Jaqua Concert Hall. It was a relaxing way to beat the heat on Thursday, and if you missed it, the show also will be a wonderful way to spend an evening next week.
In the Aug. 1 show, Redd led the nine-member band on the vibraphone in pieces ranging from Come Fly With Me to works from films like Thanks for the Memories, standalones like Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! — think Christmas in August, if you can — as well as a heavy dose of works from the musical Guys and Dolls, which Loesser had a major and legendary hand in creating.
The musician lineup will change somewhat for the repeat evening performance, but listen for the soft and enchanting accompaniment from the trombonist, the trumpeter and the two reed players. They add heft to the music without overpowering the singers.
And it is the singers — Vanessa Greenway, Siri Vik, Matt Leach and Michael Stone — who do good work interpreting the nearly two dozen pieces. Even the magnificent bass player, Nicki Parrott, gets into the act and sings two selections. She also will be on stage on Aug. 7.
Heart and Soul is a gentle look at the Classic American Songbook through the eyes of Loesser and Cahn, and it is worth attending next week.
